Electronic monitor device for centrifuges



Dec. 15, 1964 A. SIMONS 3,151,273

ELECTRONIC MONITOR DEVICE FOR CENTRIFUGES Filed May 7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ALOY6 jmnoH/S ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1964 A. SIMONS 3,161,273

ELECTRONIC MONITOR DEVICE FOR CENTRIFUGES Filed May 7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

1 I I f 3 mfi iifiik ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,161,273 ELECTRONIC MONITOR DEVICE FOR (IENTRIFUGES Aloys Simona, Aachen, Germany, assignor to H. Krantz- Aachen, Aachen, Germany, a German firm Filed May 7, 1963, Ser. No. 278,602 5 Claims. (Q1. 192136) The present invention relates to an electronic monitor device for centrifuges and it particularly relates to a device for bolting or unbolting or permitting opening of the lid of the centrifuge device.

It has not been found satisfactory to provide for unbolting of centrifuge covers or lids at the end of a run of the centrifuge drum where the magnetic control is in turn operated or actuated by a time controlled relay.

Such a relay, for example, may be provided with means to retard the release of the armature which is excited or actuated by current impulses of an impulse generator or transmitter associated with the shaft of the centrifuge or with the electric motor which is rotating the centrifuge, in which there is provided an auxiliary switch to actuate a solenoid for the purpose of withdrawing the bolt which holds the lid or centrifuge cover in position.

The difficulty in this type of device is that the time span of the current impulse interval exceeds the time span of the release lag.

It has also been found unsatisfactory to use a contact roller mounted on the shaft of the centrifuge drum or associated with the centrifuge motor since it may interfere with operations of the brushes, since the brushes would be bypassed by the contact of the roller.

Where the brushes are connected into the control circuit of a slow operating relay this would require a further switching position to be formed by the tripping contacts of an auxiliary magnetic switch.

The solenoid or armature of the auxiliary switch would then have to be provided with another contact to link up with the tripping contacts provided in the exciter current of the solenoid or magnet which actuates the bolt for the cover of the centrifuge.

I This arrangement is not desirable because of the wear to which the brushes would be subjected and also because of the multiplicity of contacts required.

Furthermore, where any contacts or contact rollers are mounted on the shaft in the centrifuge drum or onto the centrifuge motor there is difficulty in accessibility for repair or replacement to the impulse transmitter which is associated with the brushes.

Furthermore, cables or conductors have to be intro-- duced into the interior of the centrifuge for the purpose of connecting the impulse transmitter to the main electrical circuits.

Where a release bolt for a cover or lid of a centrifuge is actuated through a transformer from an impulse transmitter, the magnetic flux of which transformer is broken by an armature having a frequency corresponding to the rate of rotation of the shaft, the impulse transmitter usually will be necessarily positioned in an inaccessible position and a current supply will have to be provided therefor.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple electronic monitor system for centrifuges and particularly one which will provide for bolting or unbolting of the cover or lid of the housing, which will be automatically actuated when the centrifuge has completed its run without the need of cables being extended into the interior of the centrifuge and without any special mountings or connections to' either the centrifuge shaft or to the motor or to the motor shaft.

Another object is to provide a simplified monitor system for centrifuges in which it is not necessary to have any time setting on the monitor device or time actuated relays and in which it will not be necessary to interfere with or cause bypassing of the motor brushes with a multiplicity of contacts and in which it will not be necessary to cause extra Wear of the brushes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a monitor device for centrifuges in which the various devices will be readily accessible and in which it will not be necessary to introduce extra current supplies or to introduce impulse transmitters or generators lodged in inaccessible positions in and around the centrifuge.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

According to the present invention the control device will be governed by the rotation of the centrifuge and as the centrifuge slows down at the completion of its run automatic means will be set into operation to provide that the bolt or latch for the cover or lid of the centrifuge will be automatically released.

In a preferred form of the invention there is no current impulse generator or transmitter located upon the shaft of the centrifuge or upon the shaft of the motor and all controls will be placed on the lid or outer casing of the centrifuge or upon the top of the drum where they are readily accessible upon opening of the housing and upon lifting of the cover or lid.

Furthermore, it will not be necessary to have any interior cables within the housing of the centrifuge and a multiplicity of tripping contacts is altogether avoided.

In the preferred form of the invention a permanent magnet is desirably mounted upon the top of and ad jacent to one edge of the centrifuge drum where it will run under and past an induction coil mounted upon the centrifuge housing.

Each time the permanent magnet passes under the induction coil as the drum rotates, an impulse will be generated and will be transmitted to an amplifier and to a thyratron which is quenched or put out of operation by a current impulse so long as the current impulses are in a close sequence.

Connected to the thyratron will be a relay but the relay will not be energized until the current impulses are stopped or until they are separated by a prolonged lapse of time.

With the foregoing and other objects. in view, the in vention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of device according to the present invention in which {the monitor control is shown more or less diagrammatical- FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sketch indicating the system which may be employed to achieve the desired control.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a top frame or cover 1 for a rotatable centrifuge drum 2 which carries a permanent magnet 3 attached to the top frame or cover.

The upper part 4 of the housing 5 of the centrifuge carries an induction coil 6 under which the permanent magnet 3 will rotate, generating electrical impulses.

The impulses will be communicated to the amplifier 7 and these amplified impulses in turn will be communicated to the thyratron 8 which will be ignited when the main switch is actuated to star-t the drum 2 in rotation but of the centrifuge.

g a which will be quenched repeatedly at short intervals by means of the current impulses generated from the induc 2 s1o wsdown or stops the thyratron tube 8 will remain the result will be that the relay 9 will be energized, throwing the switch 10to the dotted lineposition of 1. t 1

In this position the circuit is shown as being established which releases the cover or lid by energizing a solenoid '45 (see FIG. 2) which will withdraw the bolt also by withdra ing a valve which will permit a supply: of compressed air or other fluid to a pressure cylinder opening the housing cover or lid.

On the'other hand during normal operation with frequent impulses generated by the induction coil or impulse v 4 7 v V a through the coil'45 to unlatch the edge 46 of the housing from the edge 47 of the cover 42. This will occur when the switch 10 is in the solid line position, as indicated at 36.

When it swings back into the dotted line position 35 the pressure will be releasediunder the piston 41 and the cover will drop of its own weight at the same time a springr48 maybe provided to press the bolt v44 back to lock the edges 46 and 47toge ther.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a simple arrangement for actuating an electronic control system which will automatically release the cover and permit it to be elevated.

transmitter 6 the thyratron tube 8 will remain quenched and circuits will be established which effectively ignite the signal lamp 49 (see FIG.'-2), as well as close a lid bolting device and cut off the valve 38 (see FIG. 2) for compressed air to the pressure cylinder for lifting the housing cover or lid.

The'reverse operation will only take place asthe drum 2 slows down orwhe'n the drum stops and the intervals are widely spaced in time,

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown diagrammatically the'permanent magnet 3 on the top structure 1 of the drum 2. 1

This drum will rotate as indicated by the curved arrow under the inductioncoil which is mountedin a V casingfil on the housing 5 ;of the centrifuge.

The .coil will have outlet connections 32 and-33' which r will transmit impulses to the amplifier 7 which,fin-turn,

will transmit such impulses to the filament of the thyratron tube 8.

- Normally this tube will be permanently ignited by. a

circuit connection to the main switch circuit 34 which, is in turn connected .to the motor-of the centrifuge. I The thyratron 8 will normallybe quenched due to the repeated impulses transmitted to it :as the permanent magnet 3 passes repeatedly thereunder upon rotation as indi-.

cated by the curved arrow 30. V However, when the drum 2 slows down or stops, 8. circuittwillbe established to the relayf9, throwing the relay switch from the dotted line position '35 to the solid linefpositi'on'atfifit 9 @111 the solid line position, as indicated at 36, the circuit will .be' established to actuate the solenoid 37* to s asms valve 38 on the-dine 39 from the'compressed air tank 40' to .cause theipiston 41 to lift the cover142 At the same. time he line 43 will actuate the bolt 44 2,004,064? "Jordan et a1.

An electric lamp, as indicated at 49, may be placed in the circuit or parallel thereto as indicator light to indicate when the centrifuge is off or on. t

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that thesame may be alteredin details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended'claims.

What is claimed is: v V

1. Ida centrifugeconstruction of the type having a housing, a housing cover, lock means to lock said cover onto said housing and a centrifuge enclosure; the combination therewith .of an automatic means to actuate said lock means to lock and unlock said lock means including an impulse generator actuated by. rotation of said centrifuge to give spaced impulses closely spaced in normal operation and widely spaced when the centrifuge is slowl'y'turning'and stopping; electrical means to opcrate said'lock means to unlock the same when the centrifuge is; slowly turning and stopping and means to actuate said electrical means from the impulses actuated by saidgenerator so that closelyspaced impulses will 'maintain the lock means in position-and- Widely spaced closure: andaninductio-n coil on the housing positioned so thatjthe magnet will pass adjacent said coil and generate an impulse therein once for each-revolution. 3. The construction of claim' 1', said lock means being provided with a solenoid to actuate the same. i I i 4. The construction of claim 1,-said means to actuate said electrical means consisting of a thyratron tube.

-5.-' The construction of claim 1, said electrical means consisting of a relay and a solenoid actuated by, said relay to actuate said lock'means. i

References Cited in the'fileof this patent v I NIT D, STATES PATENTS i 1,837,244 Watson Dec.22, 1931 v llum 4. 19.35 

1. IN A CENTRIFUGE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TYPE HAVING A HOUSING, A HOUSING COVER, LOCK MEANS TO LOCK SAID COVER ONTO SAID HOUSING AND A CENTRIFUGE ENCLOSURE; THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF AN AUTOMATIC MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID LOCK MEANS TO LOCK AND UNLOCK SAID LOCK MEANS INCLUDING AN IMPULSE GENERATOR ACTUATED BY ROTATION OF SAID CENTRIFUGE TO GIVE SPACED IMPULSES CLOSELY SPACED IN NORMAL OPERATION AND WIDELY SPACED WHEN THE CENTRIFUGE IS SLOWLY TURNING AND STOPPING; ELECTRICAL MEANS TO OPERATE SAID LOCK MEANS TO UNLOCK THE SAME WHEN THE CENTRIFUGE IS SLOWLY TURNING AND STOPPING AND MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID ELECTRICAL MEANS FROM THE IMPULSES ACTUATED BY SAID GENERATOR SO THAT CLOSELY SPACED IMPULSES WILL MAINTAIN THE LOCK MEANS IN POSITION AND WIDELY SPACED IMPULSES WILL OPERATE SAID LOCK MEANS TO UNLOCK THE SAME. 